Not surprising, really, as after the first time they had made love Rion had never made love to her again, saying he wanted to wait and make the wedding night special. More likely he’d had some other woman—probably Chloe—warming his bed, she had realised later.
Stiffening, Selina turned her head to cast him a sidelong glance. ‘You surprised me. I thought you were with the captain.’
‘I was, but you looked so alone.’ His dark head bent and he nuzzled the back of her neck, her earlobe. ‘I decided to keep you company.’
‘There is no need,’ Selina said, trying to hang on to her self-control, which was becoming harder to do by the second with the warmth of his breath against her ear and the slight spicy scent of his cologne. It was hard to suppress the old familiar feelings and the memories she had thought long forgotten.
‘Trust me—there is,’ he said huskily, nibbling her neck and then sucking the tiny pulse that beat there as his hand snaked up beneath her sweater to cup her breast. Kneading gently, his long fingers slid teasingly over the swelling peaks in a caress that made her shudder from head to toe.
Selina gasped, her heart pounding. Why had she thought a scruffy old sweatsuit was enough to deter Rion? And she wasn’t wearing anything underneath, she thought helplessly. She tried to wriggle free from his hold—a bad mistake!
He pressed her back against his great body and she let her hands fall to her sides—and was immediately made aware of the strength of his masculine arousal against her buttocks.
‘Feel what you do to me?’ Rion rasped against the hollow of her throat, kissing and licking her tender skin.
‘Let me go,’ she got out shakily, her overheated body combining with the feeling of being completely surrounded by Rion making her head whirl. She grasped his arm at her waist, trying to prise herself free, but as she did so he rolled her aching nipples between his index finger and thumb, sending shafts of aching pleasure from her breasts to her loins, while his sensuous mouth lingered on the pulse that beat wildly in her throat, making her tremble, making her weak …
She raised her hands again, but with a will of their own her fingers seemed to glide up over his forearms, his muscular biceps.
‘Don’t …’ she murmured desperately. ‘Someone will see.’ A low moan escaped her as the hand at her waist slipped beneath her sweatpants to splay across her bare stomach and finally to cup the delta of her thighs, while his other hand continued the delicious torment of her breasts.
‘No one can see except perhaps the fishes,’ Rion rasped. ‘Relax and enjoy.’
‘No …’ she moaned. But against her will she was caught up in the wild, sensual hunger that rose from deep inside her as the past and the present collided in her mind. Her head fell back against his chest, her neck arching as he eased her legs slightly apart. His long, skilful fingers traced the delicate folds guarding her feminine core, searching the hot, damp centre with his fingertips, the pad of his thumb finding and stroking the tiny point of sensitive nerves to swollen pulsing pleasure … She was on fire, every nerve end taut with need …
‘You like that, Selina. You want more,’ he breathed against her ear, and nibbled on the tender lobe. ‘You only have to ask,’ he rasped.
She was trembling with need and yet a note of discord at his words pierced the sensual haze that was her brain. A flash from the harbour lighthouse spun across the water, dazzling her eyes and reminding her where she was.
‘No, Rion.’ She breathed his name and grasped his wrist, digging her fingers into his skin as much to quell her own desire as his intention.
Rion wasn’t sure how it had happened so fast, but Selina had responded to everything he’d done to arouse her, and aroused him so much he was desperate to be inside her. And yet she had the strength of will to stop him. The girl he had married would never have done so—but the Selina of today was a much stronger character.
He knew with his superior strength and skill he could easily persuade her differently, but he was reluctant to do so. Maybe he had been crass to demand she ask him. But he had never known a woman so responsive, and he was not going to let her slip back into denial.
Sliding his arm around her, he turned her to face him. ‘You’re right, Selina, the cabin would be better.’ And he stroked a hand up her back, holding her close, aware of the erratic beat of her heart. ‘But no more games. We both know what we want.’
He dipped his head and kissed her long and deep, until he felt her relax against him, her slender arms sliding around his neck. Raising his head he smiled into her eyes.
‘Bedtime, Selina,’ he said, and swept her off her feet.
Aching with frustration, and dazed by his kiss, Selina clung to Rion’s broad shoulders as he carried her through to his cabin and laid her down on a huge bed. She was intensely conscious of him—his dark chiselled features, the unfathomable depths of his eyes—and she wasn’t capable of resisting or uttering so much as a word as he reached for her and deftly removed the baggy suit.
What was the point of resisting anyway? Even if she could—which she very much doubted. It was too late for that. They were at sea, and so were her emotions … The result was inevitable, because she had made a deal and she must honour it. An impish devil whispered in her mind: So why not enjoy the experience? No other man had ever made her feel the way Rion did and probably never would!
He’d said he wanted her naked in his bed and here she was. He had seen her naked dozens of times—well, maybe not. She had been a bit of a prude about walking around naked, unlike Rion who had often teased her about it. But now she was naked, exposed, and Selina had a moment of panic, glancing warily up at Rion looking down at her.
She saw the hunger and the dark desire in his eyes, and her heart missed a beat and another, as he stripped off his shirt, revealing his broad muscular chest with its sprinkling of black hair arrowi
ng down his stomach. Then he took off his pants, and she swallowed hard as his magnificent bronzed body in all its masculine beauty was revealed to her no longer wary but wondering eyes. He was incredible. The strength and the power of his erection made her gasp and desire kicked in her belly, her body throbbing in hungry recognition.
Suddenly she felt totally inadequate. He was expecting an experienced lover. Weakly she asked, ‘What do you want me to do?’
Rion stilled, hearing the catch in Selina’s voice. His dark eyes sought hers and he saw the shadows in their amber depths. He didn’t want her thinking she had to do whatever he said, he realised, even though he had given her little choice but to come with him.
His avid gaze roamed over her incredible naked body.
Selina was perfect—quite perfect: her glorious hair trailed across the pillow, her superb breasts and straining nipples, the flat stomach, the soft strawberry-blonde curls at the apex of her thighs, the long legs …